After close race for House, Kathryn Dodge announces run for Fairbanks mayor

After coming within a vote and a coin toss of an Alaska House seat, Kathryn Dodge announced today she’s running for mayor of the city of Fairbanks in this fall’s elections.

Dodge ran as a Democrat for House District 1 in a tightly contested race against Republican Bart LeBon for the open seat held by now-Sen. Scott Kawasaki. The outcome of the race was eventually decided in the Alaska Supreme Court, where LeBon’s one-vote margin of victory was upheld.

“After a great deal of thought, and talking with many community members, I have decided to run for Fairbanks City Mayor!” she wrote in a Facebook announcement. “Fairbanks is the bright economic spot in our state right now and we need to work to make sure we maximize this opportunity. Let’s work together to ensure we are providing quality city services, are welcoming to business and families, and that we are working toward a shared vision for our Golden Future.”

Dodge served two terms on the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly, where she served as the body’s presiding officer. She worked in small business development at the Fairbanks North Star Borough and the UAF Cooperative Extension before that.